Patricia "Patty" Nolan
She/Her
- Currently
- City Councillor
- Election history
- seeking fourth Council Term; former School Committee member
She/Her
Patty Nolan grew up in Chicago and Connecticut. She first moved to Cambridge to attend Harvard, graduating in 1980. Patty then lived and worked in New York City, and attended Yale for business school. She has worked in corporate consulting at McKinsey and the non-profit sector.
Patty returned to Cambridge in 1991, and has been actively involved in local politics since, for instance serving on the Board of Cambridge School Volunteers. She was first elected to the school committee in 2005 and served for almost 14 years. She has served three terms on City Council and seeks her fourth.
On the council, she has pushed back against "either-or" framing, casting herself as a moderating, nuanced voice within binary debates.
She is a landlord; she rents out the second unit in her two-family home.
Patty is "mixed" on housing. While she voted with the majority to pass Multifamily Zoning reform, she also consistently aligned with Councillor Zusy (who eventually voted against) when making the final compromise, and pushed for stricter inclusionary height thresholds in committee.
She's also opposed several other housing-related ordinances, and has been working on a proposal to require height limitations or step-back requirements to protect private solar.
With new development popping up in neighborhoods and new zoning in effect, it is essential that we continue to promote investment in renewable energy sources, but equally as important to work to protect residents who have already made that important investment in renewable energy.
20 percent of zero is still zero. I’d rather have some affordable housing than none.
After careful consideration, I voted for what I believe is best for the city: to return Garden Street to two-way car travel while keeping two-way bike lanes.
Organization | Cambridge? | Union? | View |
---|---|---|---|
Massachusetts Women's Political Caucus | this cycle | ||
Cambridge Bicycle Safety |
Pedestrian and cycling safety, policy, infrastructure, governance
Pedestrian and cycling safety, policy, infrastructure, governance
Lengthy panel on progressive issues; largely yes/no questions; only 9 respondents. This is the first year this has appeared.
Lengthy panel on progressive issues; largely yes/no questions; only 9 respondents. This is the first year this has appeared.
Housing policy, development, governance
Housing policy, development, governance
Housing, zoning, governance, infrastructure
Housing, zoning, governance, infrastructure
We had different takes on the original proposal and the final version. We each preferred different drafts of the legislation. Yet we both voted for a version that was not our first choice. Why? Because we cared more about addressing our city’s challenges and finding a compromise we could all live with. Sometimes leadership means compromise.
Sept. 30, 2025 — Patty Nolan and Burhan AzeemWe had different takes on the original proposal and the final version. We each preferred different drafts of the legislation. Yet we both voted for a version that was not our first choice. Why? Because we cared more about addressing our city’s challenges and finding a compromise we could all live with. Sometimes leadership means compromise.
Either way, it’s a vexing challenge, said Cambridge City Councilor Patricia Nolan, because it is broad changes in the economy that have changed the math of building for developers.
When Cambridge first studied raising the requirement to 20 percent in 2016, it showed that projects could still pencil out. Now many don’t. The city can’t control the economy, Nolan said, but it can control the affordability requirement. If it wants to see more affordable housing built, lowering the policy may be the only effective lever to pull.
Nolan filed a policy order last week that proposed the council study altering the affordable housing requirement.
“20 percent of zero is still zero,” said Nolan. “I’d rather have some affordable housing than none.”
May 5, 2025 — Andrew BrinkerEither way, it’s a vexing challenge, said Cambridge City Councilor Patricia Nolan, because it is broad changes in the economy that have changed the math of building for developers.
When Cambridge first studied raising the requirement to 20 percent in 2016, it showed that projects could still pencil out. Now many don’t. The city can’t control the economy, Nolan said, but it can control the affordability requirement. If it wants to see more affordable housing built, lowering the policy may be the only effective lever to pull.
Nolan filed a policy order last week that proposed the council study altering the affordable housing requirement.
“20 percent of zero is still zero,” said Nolan. “I’d rather have some affordable housing than none.”
“I have been definitely a candidate who is very, very effective on the many issues facing us,” she said. “Yet I feel that what distinguishes me is that I bring nuance and a really thoughtful balance to these issues.”
Oct. 30, 2023 — Samuel P. Goldston“I have been definitely a candidate who is very, very effective on the many issues facing us,” she said. “Yet I feel that what distinguishes me is that I bring nuance and a really thoughtful balance to these issues.”
“The first [affordable housing overlay] basically tore the city apart — we should not be here again,” said City Councilor Patricia Nolan, who opposes the amendments. “We have been doing a good job of building both market rate and affordable housing. Of course we need more, but a policy like this that decreases public input and dramatically increases building densities at the same time is not the way to do it.”
Oct. 15, 2023 — Andrew Brinker“The first [affordable housing overlay] basically tore the city apart — we should not be here again,” said City Councilor Patricia Nolan, who opposes the amendments. “We have been doing a good job of building both market rate and affordable housing. Of course we need more, but a policy like this that decreases public input and dramatically increases building densities at the same time is not the way to do it.”
Patricia M. “Patty” Nolan ’80, one of only two incumbents endorsed by the CCC, said she found some of the tweets offensive.
Oct. 2, 2023 — Muskaan Arshad, Julian J. GiordanoPatricia M. “Patty” Nolan ’80, one of only two incumbents endorsed by the CCC, said she found some of the tweets offensive.
“It’s really quite groundbreaking,” said Councilor Quinton Zondervan, who helped lead the push in concert with Councilor Patricia Nolan, Mayor Sumbul Siddiqui, and activist groups like the Sunrise Movement, 350.org, and Mothers Out Front.
July 8, 2023 — Maliya Ellis“It’s really quite groundbreaking,” said Councilor Quinton Zondervan, who helped lead the push in concert with Councilor Patricia Nolan, Mayor Sumbul Siddiqui, and activist groups like the Sunrise Movement, 350.org, and Mothers Out Front.
I have written to the School Committee and superintendent with a plea, and I hope all in Cambridge stand with me. The issue: The district should establish a clear commitment that within three years every third grader in Cambridge Public Schools will read and write at grade level, and that every eighth-grader will successfully pass a full Algebra I equivalent and be prepared to start high school math with geometry or Algebra II. No exceptions.
May 2, 2023 — Patty NolanI have written to the School Committee and superintendent with a plea, and I hope all in Cambridge stand with me. The issue: The district should establish a clear commitment that within three years every third grader in Cambridge Public Schools will read and write at grade level, and that every eighth-grader will successfully pass a full Algebra I equivalent and be prepared to start high school math with geometry or Algebra II. No exceptions.
We know the climate situation is dire. The most recent Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change report led the United Nations secretary general to plead for all rich countries to get to net zero by 2040 and net zero electricity generation by 2035. Cambridge is one of the richest cities in one of the richest states in the richest country in the world. And our city is home to some of the richest universities and biotech companies in the world. Cambridge is uniquely suited to take on this dire call to action. Net Zero by 2035 has to be doable for Cambridge. If we can’t get there, the world will not meet its goal of 2050. We can’t give up. There is a path for Cambridge to be a leader.
April 24, 2023 — Patty NolanWe know the climate situation is dire. The most recent Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change report led the United Nations secretary general to plead for all rich countries to get to net zero by 2040 and net zero electricity generation by 2035. Cambridge is one of the richest cities in one of the richest states in the richest country in the world. And our city is home to some of the richest universities and biotech companies in the world. Cambridge is uniquely suited to take on this dire call to action. Net Zero by 2035 has to be doable for Cambridge. If we can’t get there, the world will not meet its goal of 2050. We can’t give up. There is a path for Cambridge to be a leader.